Annabeth AlbertBesprekingen

3.5 Stars

My oh my, was that an angsty little number! I guess I was expecting some light, sweet fluff but instead got some painful, but still sweet, longing and insecurity.

Take this as a torturous slow burn as Robby longs to move his burgeoning relationship with David to full steam ahead, while trying not to push. Poor David tries to navigate the new waters he finds himself in and can't quite reconcile his past with his potential future with Robby.

Albert still delivers on the feels and smex. Again, quite the angsty but poignant read disguised as fluff.

Ah brace yourself for another angsty addition...

Here Brady and Evren both have the weight of the world on their shoulders, each with many responsibilities and too little time for themselves, let alone for something more.

Being friends is what's decided. Friends who text and call. Friends who kiss. Friends who sex each other up and rely on each other more and more.

This was a bit different in the smex department which other reviewers have commented on. I admit that I too wanted and missed those specific aspects, but really, that's just a matter of preferences. My least favorite in this series but regardless, Albert continues to deliver great storytelling with emotion, heart, and a little dirty thrown in.

3.5 Stars!!

Oh the angst is back and I reveled in all the insecurity and doubt! Seriously, this little series is deceptively wrought with a lot of feels and tough issues and all the twisty feelings that come along with it.

Todd hasn’t had it easy, and he’s been through some very rough times with equally rough consequences. He’s getting back on his feet, trying to appreciate the small things in life and not fucking things up. A bright point in his day is when he gets to see Kendall, the beautiful wedding planner, who comes often to the bakery where he works. When Todd’s unexpectedly asked to fill in as Kendall’s partner for dance lessons, he can’t say no.

Kendall is different, and he’s not afraid to express himself, which means he tends to favor the feminine side of accessories and accents more than most. Such pride and fearlessness doesn’t mean he hasn’t had his fair share of haters, which unfortunately includes a douchey ex who always wanted him to tone things down. So though Kendall is very attracted to the shy, rugged Todd, and thrills at how well they get along, he of course is afraid of getting hurt.

Albert consistently brings the feels and the sexy and I loved the yearning and vulnerability and feelings of inadequacy, as Todd and Kendall dance around each other literally and figuratively. I only wish this was longer to further delve into all the intricacies regarding these two and their issues - both separate and together.

Well once again this was far more angsty than one would guess from such a benign cover and title. Way more than a simple, superficial romance, throw in some weighty issues like drug use, unaccepting families, and homelessness to add some emotional gravitas.

I loved the doubt and insecurity and vulnerability between Vic and Robin, and despite said benign cover and title, make no mistake about the hot factor. Yum. Eee.

This pretty much solidified that Annabeth Albert will be an automatic buy for me from here on out.

Oh yeah, this goes right for the heartstrings. I'm sure it drew a tear from me when Monroe finally accepts that he and Knox are worth the trouble it is going to cause him with his best friend, whose son Knox is. There's a lot of broody v sunshine between the older man and the 23-year old leading up to this point.

Lots of names mentioned among a supporting cast - I hope these turn up in future books in the series. Especially Worth.½

Spencer and Bacon meet during a Seals op - Spencer is a journalist chasing a story about the effects of the work on military operatives. Bacon is assigned as his minder.

I've been thinking about the lingo of the Romance genre lately.

I suppose the way Albert has her characters meet is still called a meet-cute, because we are still in the category of Romance, but without the rom-com, it doesn't feel like a very satisfactory word here.

The interest between the MCs is there from the start, but Spencer is a professional through and through and keeps his personal distance.

But as unlikely a match as they are, the sophisticated, former ballet dancer Spencer, and the rough and ready Seal whose job rubs against his sensitive, thinking-man interior, are a symphony together. Hyperbole? No. They have the makings of a great love affair if they get their priorities right, which is their journey in Tight Quarters.

Another Annabeth Albert novel that digs into the soul. Sure there is what the Romance community calls 'smut', which in this context means sexually explicit scenes (not obscenity/filth/indecent material as is the meaning in the wider community). But I don't find this meaningless voyeurism, quite the contrary.

Decided to look up what the traditional and current meanings of smut are, and this is something I haven't seen before. In the Urban Dictionary someone has contributed the following, referring to reader fandom:
SMUT
s: sexual
m: maturity
u: under
t: text
"wait, you read smut too?"
"yes of course, it satisfies my needs."

That's a clever refinement of the Romance definition.

The timbre of Greg Boudreux's voice is perfect for these MCs - a well chosen narrator.

Rating: 4.25

(Later) Great comments arthistorychick - thank you. I see we are on the same page.

I'm rather sad that this is our final visit to the small Oregon town of Safe Harbor. It's the last book in what has been an amazing trilogy. Finally, we have the story of the couple who have been in the background of the previous two books, Sam Bookman, and his coffee shop, The Blessed Bean, who is, in many ways, the heart of the Safe Harbor community, and Worth Stapleton, who hasn’t been back to his hometown in decades, but we have seen parts of his story reflected in the other two books also. The murder of his mother, the blame that he and the rest of the town placed on his father. It helped to somewhat already know that things would end well for him eventually. Now he has returned, but we find that his life is crumbling about his ears. Anxiety, and depression his constant companion...he feels anything but "Worthy". I’ve been looking forward to his and Sam's story... to watch Worth come home and find his place in this small world. Sam finally getting the man of his dreams, the boy/man that he has loved since childhood...and we know who that is. Annabeth Albert always tells a wonderful story but has really done an above average job with this deeply emotional story about grief, loss and sadness, and the struggle to find a way back to the light. This trilogy absolutely must be read in order, otherwise you will miss meeting and learning about the wonderful residents of Safe Harbor, how their lives blend together, and seeing the stage being set for Worth's homecoming and his and Sam's "Happy Ever After". You are going to have to go to some great lengths to top this one Ms. Albert.

Annabeth Albert is one of my favourite authors, but this book ... is so full of angst, and fear and desolation and loneliness - the full nine yards of negativity.

This is my 13th book by Albert and only the second one I've awarded less than 4 stars.

Quill, a park ranger in Alaska, is a brick wall, a grumpy immoveable fearful man, damaged by his past of dysfunctional family and relationship. He's a man who has no idea what it's like to look on the bright side - have fun - till Owen.

Owen has been through it all, with a cancer scare that's changed everything in his life. But he's a vital young man in his 30s and has pulled his life together better than most would.

For some reason I don't think Albert explains fully - unless it's that Owen sees a kindred damaged person, although comes from a happy family - Owen persists with everything he is to make a relationship with Quill.

The novel is hard going, and it's 10.5 hours of audiobook. Narrated by Iggy Toma, he does his best with the slog - too much time spent inching up hill to the HEA, and then the trope of a near-death accident to get us there.

I am being harsh, as there are some beautiful moments when the two characters connect.½

Holden Justice teaches at the local college, and also has a podcast that is very successful. His social life is active in spite of his needing the aid of a wheelchair. His friends that he has weekly "trivia night" with, think that he needs a roommate after Monroe and Knox’s "roommate situation" ended with them becoming a couple, in book #1....but Holden thinks they're crazy. He thinks of himself as an extrovert, and he likes being able to leave his piles of homework to grade on his dining room table. Cooking for more than one is always much more pleasurable...but he'll get by okay. When Cal a rescue diver gets hurt on a dive and his old RV breaks down, permanently... Holden decides maybe he does need a roommate after all... and the sexy diver is the one he wants. When Holden comes home unexpectedly and discovers Cal’s favorite distraction technique to help him relax and rest when his PTSD is overwhelming, he is surprised but also intrigued. Cal has an obsession with doing all things solo...and it's very questionable. Holden doesn't bat and eye when he discovers Cal's kink. It convinces Cal to let him join in since he's determined to break Cal's hard shell and show him that he can be trusted. Both Holden and Cal have had a lot of traumas in their lives...both physical and mental. Holden dealt with his through humor as an avoidance, while Cal developed thorns to keep people at a distance. Cal saw through Holden’s comic side and Holden broke through Cal’s armor. Both showed that trust could develop and that they could try. Annabeth Albert was one of the first M/M romance authors that I ever read, and when I counted how many of her series and standalones that I had read, I found that with this series...I have read everything that she has written, and I didn't see a single one that I didn't absolutely love. This series looks like it is only going to have three books...but there will still be the things that make these books special...such as this group of lifelong friends that deeply care for one another and want everything for the others that they want and deserve. Most of these men are in their early forties and need love and trust in their lives. I really like when characters are "recycled" through a series, so it was great to see all the men from the first book back to encourage Cal and Holden. I am equal parts eager and leery of the next book. Eager because we finally get Sam’s story and Worth is finally coming home...yet leery because it will be the last book in this wonderful series.

Professor Holden Justice is teaching at the local college, doing his podcast, and hanging out with his friends on trivia night, and drinking questionable coffee at his friend Sam’s coffee house, "The Blessed Bean". Their screwy idea that he needed a roommate was crazy.... wasn't it? He might be an extrovert, but he liked being a bit messy with his house and his life. Of course, cooking for more than one person is always much more fun. So, when the prickly diver gets hurt, and his old RV finally breaks down permanently, Holden decides that maybe he does need a roommate after all....as long as it's that sexy diver. Holden comes home at lunch one day and discovers Cal’s favorite distraction technique to help him relax and rest when his PTSD is overwhelming. To say that he's surprised but intrigued, is an understatement. Cal’s obsession with doing all things solo soon becomes very questionable. Holden understands that it's a release technique for him, plus being alone, having major trust issues, along with being demisexual, complicates things a lot more. He’s determined that he is going to break that hard shell and show Cal that he really can be trusted. I had wondered about Holden's friend from the first book and why he was in a wheelchair that was never fully explained. Seems that it's not a new story. Some people, especially when they are young, think they are invincible, unbreakable...but one unwise choice changes their lives forever and this is what happened to this man. I really liked that both Cal and Holden picked up on cues of the man's discomfort about talking about it, as both men had had trauma in their lives...both physical and mental. Holden dealt with it through humor, while Cal developed "stickily thorns" to keep others as far away as possible. Luckly, Cal saw through Holden’s comical side and Holden found a way to break through Cal’s armor. I have read and always loved everything that Annabeth Albert has ever written. The characters in her books usually start out as friends and slowly develop into something more. Nor are they "kids", but seasoned, often life-challenged, men, that need love and trust in their lives. I also like that these characters don't just disappear from previous books but are allowed to wander throughout each story. In this one we get to see that Monroe and Knox from the first book, have settled nicely into their relationship and Knox is not only accepted but a welcomed member of their group. I am both excited and a bit leery of the next book. Excited because we finally get Sam’s story, and Worth is finally coming home. Leery because this is supposed to be the last book in this wonderful series. I know I can trust Annabeth to come up with something just as good so I'm not too worried.

Monroe recently retired from the Navy’s NCIS unit and returned to Safe Harbor, Oregon to renovate and put up for sale the large Victorian home that his Great-Aunt Henri has left to him. He spent his final years of high school living with her and has a close group of friends that have welcomed him home. Included in that group was his best friend, Rob, who is now Chief of Police and using his skills to look over some of the town’s cold cases, especially the one that involves the death of his good friend, Worth’s parents, the Stapleton’s. Something always felt a bit off that it was Worth’s dad that it was always thought to have caused the disappearance of his mom...and his own death of a massive heart attack had raised some questions also. Rob's son, Knox, is back in town but with Rob's 3-year-old triplet daughters and a new baby expected very soon, there wasn't room for Knox to stay with them. The obvious solution was that since Monroe needed major help fixing up his Aunt Henri's house and Knox needed a place to stay...plus Knox was experienced in renovating... a win/win in Rob’s mind. So, it turns out that the very sexy younger man that Monroe had danced with and kissed at the bachelor party in Portland...who called himself "Rebound", became his new roommate and was his friend Rob's son... Knox. They were both incredibly attracted to one another, and it didn't take long for them to begin to act on it and fall in love...but when and what were they going to tell Rob? I guess I don't understand why a 23-year-old adult would need to worry so much about this. Rob already had Knox's life way too planned out without consulting him. Monroe and Knox didn't need anyone to second guess how they felt for one another, and age certainly wasn’t a factor for them...love had already snuck into their hearts and firmly stuck. Annabeth Albert was one of the authors that aided in advancing my love for the M/M Romance genera. I am always eager for a new Annabeth Albert book because she is such an incredibly talented author. I hope that there is soon going to be more of this series. I know that each story will revolve around a different couple, but I hope that Monroe and Knox, as well as Holden and Sam, will always have a major role in what happens.

I enjoyed this read, found it sweet and low angst. However there is mention of parental loss and anxiety so if these are triggers for you, it may change the way you read this book.

Harrison and Finns meet is cute with the chickens and and I like the fact that we get a happy for now ending without them needing to live together as they both have busy lives.

But this is a great book 1 in this multi author series and I'm excited to see which characters get stories next.

#arcread

Danny and Cash - whoa!! Age gap - best friends brother.

I love all Annabeth's writing and this one didnt let me down!

The tension, the oh wow he is grown up moment, the story flows nicely and am looking forward to the next books in this series.

it's almost insta love - definitely insta attraction but it works well in this story.

Duncan and Ezra is a bodyguard rockstar romance which is well written and works perfectly in this series.

Loved reading more about Duncan after meeting him in book 1. His worries about the company.

Ezra is not a rockstar with no f#@$s he is a rockstar who cares!

When you think you write a review and its gets lost LOL

Take 2

Harley and Ambrose, bodyguard and client - this is a great addition to the A-List security series.

There is attraction and slow heat from the start with it building and well fake boyfriends who become real is always fun to read.

An enjoyable read.

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of Rocky Start and it was definitely an enjoyable read!

Loved Malik and Avery and all the struggles to love and be themselves!

Avery realising he can be who he wants to be is well written and Malik is a perfect partner in this dual coming out read..

Another 3.5 star read

Knox and Monroe is an age gap, grumpy sunshine love with some small intrigue that is integral part of this small town series

Its a semi slow paced read with found family and quirky side characters.

Knox and Monroe did actually communicate about their differences which was cool

However I did have to say the epilogue annoyed me! Why dont we get more of Knox and Monroe instead of the next character!

I adored this book! So many emotions mixed in with an interestijg and intriguing storyline!

I mean solving cold cases and finding heart warming love unexpectedly isnt what youd expect to work together but Annabeth has nailed it!

I love grumpy/sunshine and this is defintely that with Cal and Holden, well on the surface. Being together makes both MC's stronger.

the ending to a trilogy is always sad but Sam and Worth's story is heartbreaking on its own but a great ending to the series.

Sam has always had feelings for Worth ever since they were kids - and when he comes home to deal with a lot of mental health, death and other issues Sam automatically takes over.

I rounded this up because it felt a little rushed their relationship - yes they knew each other but both had changed heaps and I dont think this was really dealt with.

3.75

Gahhhhh I loved this so much!!!

These two are the cutest fake boyfriends ever!!!

There might be too much happening here to be covered properly in this book, but I did enjoy Sam and Worth’s story. I’m all for good mental health rep, but there’s no way Worth got from where he started to where he ended in what seems like a few weeks; his meds might not even be kicking in yet. Then there’s the wrap up from the other books which is likely needed as this doesn’t exactly work as a standalone, but I did want to see Worth come back to Safe Harbor which we got. Oh and let’s not forget the unexpected kink (which was in the previous book too so perhaps I should have expected it) which honestly didn’t quite feel like either of these guys. Anyway the end was lovely, and I do really like these two together; I’m just highly skeptical of their path to HEA.½

4.5 stars
Listened to the audiobook.
I enjoyed this ride.

I am enthusiastically on to book 2.

This one might be my favorite of the series.

I enjoyed this one more than the first book